This invention relates to gastro-intestinal tubes.
The invention is particularly concerned with gastro-intestinal tubes having provision both for enabling fluid to be supplied to the pylorus or duodenum and also for enabling simultaneous aspiration of gas or liquid from the stomach.
Such tubes are commonly used, for example, following surgery, to supply feeding fluid, such as dextrose solution, or medicaments directly to the small intestine. Previously used tubes generally comprise a large-bore tube which is sealed at one end, and a small-bore tube extending along the outside of the large-bore tube. The small-bore tube extends beyond the end of the large-bore tube by a sufficient distance to enable it to reach the duodenum when the large-bore tube is situated in the stomach. Feeding liquid can be supplied to the small intestine through the small-bore tube while liquid or gas at the bottom of the stomach can be withdrawn through the large-bore tube via a number of apertures in its wall in the region of the closed end.
It is desirable in many circumstances, however, to remove fluid from the oesophagus as well as from the stomach, such as, for example, to prevent entry of swallowed fluid into the stomach. While previous tubes can be used fairly satisfactorily to remove fluid from the bottom of the stomach it is extremely difficult to introduce and position them so that fluid can be removed from both the stomach and oesophagus, while at the same time maintaining the end of the small-bore tube in its correct position in the region of the duodenum.